De Lima admits entering Jaybee Sebastian’s kubol… but not alone and just a quickie

Senator Leila de Lima has admitted to visiting convicted kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian inside his kubol (quarters) at the New Bilibid Prison, but insisted she was never alone with him. Facing reporters at the Senate, De Lima expressed surprise at former Bureau of Corrections director Franklin Bucayu’s revelation during the House justice committee’s probe on the NBP drug trade that she stayed at Sebastian’s kubol for a long time whenever she visited him during her tenure as justice secretary. “Okay lang sana kung ang kinonfirm niya (Bucayu) na once or twice, yes, napapadaan po tayo dun sa sinasabing kubol ni Sebastian. pero di po ako nagtatagal doon,” De Lima said Friday (Oct. 7). The senator said she was always with other people whenever she met Sebastian. “Di po ako solo na nandoon na ako lang. Kasama ko siya (Bucayu) o ibang Bilibid officials like the superintendent I think of the NBP or any other BuCor official and also some of my security aides,” she said. “I will never be there na ako lang na kausapin ng solo, one on one si Jaybee. Wala pong ganoon,” De Lima added. Sebastian has been tagged as De Lima’s bagman in drug-related deals but the senator has denied the allegation. She, however, admitted Sebastian is a government asset who provided her with information about the irregularities inside the NBP.